More Than Just Stitches
by Thedarkknight17
Summary: Bruce returns to the temporary batcave after Gordon makes 'the call' searching for something that only an old Friend can give... Acceptance. One shot


**More Than Just Stitches**

**By:Thedarkknight17**

**Disclaimer:**

I own nothing of Batman, from the first comic to the latest movie, they are entirely someone elses creations.

**Summary:**

Bruce returns to the temporary batcave after Gordon makes 'the call' searching for something that only an old Friend can give... Acceptance. One shot

**Author's Notes:**

This story is a one shot that takes place after the final scene in The Dark Knight. Instead of giving it away... I'll just let the story do the talking. Enjoy!

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He drove away just in time. The sound of the dogs barking, panting, clawing to sink their teeth into his flesh… to bring him down, was still fresh in his mind. He could see the look on Jim Gordon's face when he told him to make the call that Batman, not Dent, had committed murder and had kidnapped the Gordon family. It was a look of refusal, then of only a sad despised acceptance. He hadn't wanted to do it, and it only caused Bruce to feel worse for making him call it in. But, then again, that was what he needed to be.

Bruce could still hear the new police commissioner's voice, the crackling of the radio, the confirmed response, and the order to move in, echoing off the cement pillars as he ran away. His breathing had been heavy and labored from the wounds he had sustained, but he had to run. The call had been placed, there was no going back. For some reason, after persuading Gordon to lie, Bruce hoped that the man would have a change of heart, but he knew Jim. He knew that Jim would have the courage to do anything for him. Jim Gordon trusted the Batman. He was a good cop, one of the few... and at least he still knew the truth.

The night air was cool, he could feel it flow through the Kevlar weaving as he pushed the Bat-pod harder. Upon arriving at Wayne Enterprises docking and storage area, he killed the power to the bike's headlights. Under cover of shadow, he quickly unlocked the doors to the graffiti covered red storage container and lead what was left of the tumbler inside, sealing the door tightly behind him. He pulled off the cowl, placed it on the bike's seat, and ran his fingers through his damp hair. Sweat beaded his forehead and ran down the back of his neck sending shivers down his spine. Finally, the elevator touched down and he walked the Bat-pod over to where the Tumbler would have been parked, dropping its heavy kickstand. He grabbed the cowl, and for the first time noticed the blood covering his fingers. An old wound had reopened at the base of his skull and it was still bleeding heavily. Probably left over from the Joker's onslaught on his head with a large metal pipe, after all his cowl could only protect him from so much. He reached back to touch it, but someone gripped his hand.

"You will never learn, will you…rubbing your dirty paws in a open wound like that. Do you want to spread infection?"

"Good to see you to, Alfred." Bruce smiled, causing Alfred to sigh in defeat.

"I am glad you are well, Master Wayne. Now please sit." He gestured to a solid stone table and went to work getting the necessary medical supplies together to clean and stitch up the gash. Bruce carefully removed his Kevlar armor from the waste up revealing other cuts that had pierced through his body suit, staining the fabric a darker black.

"Aahhh…" Bruce couldn't help the sigh of pain as he pulled the long sleeve skin tight suit off, wincing where the fabric had dried to the cuts. Alfred stared at his charge's wounds.

"Dogs again, Master Wayne?" Alfred didn't really need to hear an answer, he had after all helped stitched a dog wound up several days ago.

"Unfortunately, Alfred. Better get the rabies vaccine ready along with everything else." Bruce said with a frown as he examined one of the nastier ones. Alfred, wearing a pair of latex gloves, threaded a sterile needle, and gently began to clean and stitch the wound on the back of Bruce's head closed.

"Oww, easy Alfred." It took every bit of will power Bruce had left to remain still.

"You got mauled by dogs and only God knows what else and your crying over this?" Alfred was jesting of course and Bruce smiled. He needed to smile. It helped him forget about everything that had happened that night. Several painfully slow minutes passed, and Alfred couldn't help but notice how quiet Bruce had become.

"I don't know what went on out there Master Wayne, but feel confident, sir, in the fact that I will listen to you without ever passing judgment." Alfred felt the tension in his charge relax, as if a wall inside of him had been torn down. Bruce sighed deeply as Alfred began to clean the cuts on his arms.

"I am truly alone now, Alfred. I have given up my only ally tonight in order to save the reputation of a murderer. A murderer that, although I hate to admit it, Gotham simply need more then they needed Batman. And now, because of my choice…my sacrifice… I will be hunted more viciously then I have ever been before…by both sides, the ones I am fighting and the ones I am fighting to defend. So much loss…Gotham's White Knight is finished… and Rachel." He spoke her name as a whisper, but still Alfred could hear the pain in Bruce's voice. "Was I right, Alfred…to do what I did?" Bruce was begging for some kind, any kind of assurance. He just needed to hear what he had done was alright. Alfred sighed as he tied off the stitching. He then threaded the needle again, cleaned a particularly nasty cut on his charges shoulder and began to stitch it closed. Bruce was patient, he knew that Alfred was thinking about what to say. Finally, his old friend spoke.

"Master Wayne, there is nothing I can do to ease the pain of your wounds that run deeper then your skin. They require more than just stitches, they will take time and love to heal, but I know that nothing you have done was meant to hurt anyone. What you were up against was truly chaos. He had no rules, and when someone ignores the rules, there are bound to be casualties as a result of that one persons carelessness. There was no way you or anyone else would have know what was going to happen, but at least you acted before the madness could truly break loose. You saved hundreds tonight that would have surely perished if Batman had not saved the day. And from what I heard over the communication link, you saved a defenseless child from facing death at the hands of a madman. Now, sir, if you still do not see a deeper purpose to your mission, then I have indeed failed not only you, but the promise I made to your parents. Gotham needs you now more then ever, even if they can not see it. And, to answer your question, no, I don't think that was you did was wrong nor was it completely right. It was necessary, and you should be proud to know that you took the weight of the world on your shoulders when no one else would come forward to take responsability…" He placed a hand on Bruce's good shoulder, "I know I am."

"Thank you, Alfred. I don't know what I would do without you." Bruce smiled.

"You are always most welcome, Master Wayne." Alfred smiled, but it soon turned into a smirk. "Now about what you would do without me, sir. I do happen to have a very good idea of what that scene would look like… you would be wearing dirty clothes and starving half to death by day… then sleeping in the bat cave and bleeding all over the place by night. Now hold still…I'm almost finished." Bruce just shook his head with amusement… he knew it was probably true!

"What ever you say, Alfred…What ever you say."

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Hope you all liked it... please leave a review and let me know if you did... happy reading, The Dark Knight


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